Me, Myself, and I
by pain17ification
Summary: At a young age, the daughter of Minato and Kushina suffered a traumatic experience. The result left her mind split in two, forced to become separate personas to pick up the pieces. One of them was the innocent girl she used to be...but the other is her ruthless, bloodthirsty, and protective sister. Both sisters are in it for each other...and the "traitor" they both loved.
1. Chapter 1: Split Apart, Yet Whole

**Hey guys and gals! T** **his story will focus on a "Bloodthirsty Female Naruto". However, she won't** _ **just**_ **be bloodthirsty. You'll have to see for yourself just what is up.**

 **I had this posted before, but I took it down because of poor response. So, I'm hoping this time it'll be more reviewed.**

 **Also, I'm going to give out a warning here and now: this FanFiction will be far more** _ **raw**_ **compared to my others. What I mean is that there will be language, gore, and other adult content.**

 **As such, reader discretion is** _ **definitely**_ **advised!**

 **Enjoy, and remember that I own nothing!**

* * *

 _Me, Myself, and I_

 _Chapter One: Split Apart, Yet Whole_

* * *

Heavy pants came from him as he ran, clutching his bloody and unmoving right arm by its shoulder while he favored his right leg. His eyes were wide with a mix of adrenaline and growing terror while the pouring rain made the blood run and drip to the earth beneath his feet.

This wasn't how things were supposed to happen. All he was supposed to do was ambush some Leaf ninja alongside his compatriots, but then that…that _monster_ ruined it all! She was like a demon in human skin!

He still shivered at the insanity-driven, pink eyes that she had as she stared directly at him. Those eyes pierced his soul and made every instinct he had scream for him to run.

"Oh, Stone-nin~!" called out a feminine voice in an echoing singsong. "Come out, come out, wherever you are~!"

Panic took the place of terror and he tried to move faster to get as far away as he could. But luck was not on his side for his damaged left leg finally twisted on the wet ground, making him fall with a shout of surprised pain as he landed on his back.

"Oh! _There_ you are!" the same voice exclaimed gleefully, making the man's brown eyes widen as he took note of his pursuer landing on a tree branch above his prone form.

She was dressed strangely for a kunoichi; let alone a psychopathic killer in his eyes. On her feet were blood red ninja sandals. Moving upward, she wore equally red shorts that stopped above her knees while her torso held a pure white kimono top with bell sleeves. The kimono was held together by a red obi and it showed her developing figure that had no covering beneath it. Her hair was red and wavy, falling to her rear end and tied around her upper back with a black ribbon. Finishing off her appearance was her eyes, which were a fierce pink and had slit black pupils. (1)

Her eyes shone with insane glee, which was highlighted by the many splashes and flecks of blood that ruined her once pristine kimono and beautiful face. In her hand was a sword that had a serrated edge and was drenched in blood, most likely from his comrades. Leaping down, she landed with an unnatural level of grace and took slow, measured steps toward him.

"I always love a good chase," she commented contently, as if describing something breathtaking. "It makes me feel so refreshed, plus it helps relieve the boredom I go through day after day."

The man was trembling in fear as he tried to use his good arm and leg to move away from her. The glee in her eyes shined brighter at his struggling.

"I really should thank you," she continued, still speaking in an almost sultry whisper. "You and your friends made this little excursion of ours just a _bit_ more memorable." Finally reaching him, she used her left foot to hold him in place and leaned down, staring deep into his terrified eyes while her lips stretched into a grin. "Arigatou," she whispered as she slammed her foot hard enough for him to scream, allowing her to run her sword into his open mouth and through the back of his head.

Slowly, the smile left her face in exchange for a blank look. She then pulled out her sword, letting the edge grab pieces of his skin and pull it out with the blade. Once removed from the body, she swiped it to the side, splattering the ground and grass beside her with the crimson droplets and pieces of flesh before the sword disappeared into a flower marking on her right palm.

She looked down at the body in disgust, biting out, "At least _try_ and stop someone from killing you, you fucking pussy." With that said, she turned around and began to walk back to her group, letting the rain wash away the blood from her body while the kimono she wore continued to stay stained in it.

Entering a clearing, she saw her mentors disposing of the bodies of the ninja that tried to ambush them. One of them looked to her as she approached and she questioned, "All clear?"

"You really need to ask?" fired back the redheaded girl with a smirk that was returned by the questioner.

"Had to check. Did you enjoy yourself, Kisaki-chan?"

Shrugging, she moved over to her tent and began to pack up. "It could've been better. I swear, people turn into complete quims when they're about to die."

The woman hummed thoughtfully at that, having seen plenty of people die given her profession. Turning to her superior, she asked, "Ready to head out, boss?"

The other woman rolled her eyes at the title, but replied, "Yes. Let's head back. No doubt Hokage-sama will want to know what happened here." She then looked to her shared charge and frowned in concern as she finished packing up her tent. Walking over to her, she put a hand on her shoulder, which got Kisaki's attention. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be, sensei?" she asked, raising a slender brow.

"Just checking. You know that Anko and I worry about you…and Kikyo."

Kisaki turned away from the woman at that. "I'm fine, and so is Kikyo. Can we go now?" she asked tersely.

Yugao Uzuki sighed softly, but nodded as she leapt off followed by her partners. It was no secret that Kikyo was a _very_ sensitive subject for Kisaki. Whenever she was brought up, Kisaki would lock herself up emotionally and try to avoid the conversation and the one conversing.

Turning to her friend, Anko Mitarashi, the two shared a look before refocusing on their destination. At a young age, Kisaki was taken in by the Snake Mistress, and the girl was in a very dark place. It happened years ago when the girl was once so innocent and kind, even with the scorn of the village attempting to weigh her down.

* * *

Kisaki Uzumaki was an Academy Student at the time, ready to take the plunge into becoming a proud kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf. One night, she had found an unoccupied training field that had leftover weapons scattered around it; the Junkyard, otherwise known as Field 21. She was excited about her find and began to practice with some rusted and worn out kunai, shuriken, and even a ninjato that had its blade broken close to the tip.

At the time, Anko only knew Kisaki from passing glance, scattered greetings due to the girl wanting to be friendly with anyone, and from ill rumors about her. She ignored those rumors, choosing to focus on who Kisaki was as a person; and she was impressed at how optimistic the girl once was.

As for Yugao, she knew of Kisaki; as well as who her mother was. After all, the swordswoman was once a student of another redheaded female; the only other recorded one capable of birthing the young girl. But, while she would've loved nothing more than to get to know her teacher's child, she was an ANBU, and she had a sworn duty of acting under the persona of her given mask. She wasn't able to just retire so easily; but she was close at the time.

That same night, some of the more spiteful and daring citizens of the village pulled together some funds to hire a third-party person to kill the young girl. So, while Kisaki was happily enjoying her time training, she was unprepared for someone to suddenly enter the field and attack her.

No one but her knows exactly what happened. All that anyone knew when they arrived on the scene was that she had gotten a fortunate kill shot on the man when he made a lunge at her and she held up the broken ninjato at the last second. Once people arrived and reached her, they saw that she was covered in the man's blood, her eyes were wide in horror and unmoving, and her body was trembling in her fear-induced shock.

Yugao still felt like the man got a merciful death. She wanted to make him pay for trying to kill Kisaki, but the deed had already been done by the poor girl. What surprises her to this day was that Itachi Uchiha, now a traitor and rogue ninja for killing off his clan save for his brother, was the one that found her and stayed by her side as she became practically catatonic.

After nearly a week of being unresponsive to anyone, she finally moved on her own. But what was strange to everyone was how she had then introduced herself as "Kikyo" and couldn't seem to remember anything about her traumatic experience. It was beyond concerning, and both women remember how the Yamanaka Clan Head, Inoichi, had entered the girl's mind to determine what had happened.

Yugao gave an involuntary shudder at that memory. Within second of entering Kikyo's mind, his body began to receive cuts and slashes before he was ejected from her mind and pushed back into the room's wall by an unseen force. After that, Kikyo's once blue eyes changed to the fierce pink with slit pupils that were associated with Kisaki, and the girl was beyond angry at the invasion of her mental center.

The threats she made, the rage in her eyes, and the sheer protectiveness towards Kikyo made them all see that the girl they knew had now become _two_ girls. The one they once knew as Kisaki was now a fierce and sadistic girl who was adamant about keeping Kikyo safe. As for Kikyo, she took on the role of what Kisaki _used_ to be; kind, compassionate, and innocent to a fault.

 _Dissociative Identity Disorder_ …

That was what Inoichi had determined what happened to Kisaki. She was two people in one; both of them representing a different side of the same coin. Once that was determined, the Third Hokage spent many days conversing with both personalities in hopes of helping the single body recover. What was surprising was how both sides refused to speak unless Itachi was in the room. This of course was denied by Fugaku, the Head of the Uchiha Clan and Itachi's father.

However, the man was unable to deny a direct order that a Hokage could place on their ANBU, which was the rank Itachi held at the time. So, with the Uchiha prodigy in the room, an agreement was made. Kikyo would be the lead personality when inside the village walls, but Kisaki would take over when Kikyo was in danger and when their body was outside the walls on assignment or on a training trip; much like the recent one the three women just finished.

It worked out well; though it was worth concern to see how attached both Kisaki and Kikyo had become towards Itachi. Even when the Uchiha was on duty as ANBU, other ninja would notice how they would try to find him, as well as how determined they went about it. Fugaku was aggravated by this and almost went to the Hokage to make her leave her son alone.

But he never got the chance because of the Uchiha Massacre.

After that, Itachi left and the dual-persona girl was left in a depressed state. When she had been taken to therapists, Kikyo wouldn't respond and would simply weep in silence while Kisaki would sit in defiant silence, refusing to say a thing. At one point however, Kisaki snapped and cut down the therapist once she began to degrade and insult the Uchiha for his atrocious act.

While many called for her death, Sarutobi was able to deny such action under the grounds of mental distress and, under classification, because Kisaki/Kikyo was the last Uzumaki within the village. The Elders and other Clan Heads were not about to lose an heiress or her clan because of a mental break. In a moment that would only happen once in their lifetime, both sides made efforts to help the girl, even the warmongering Danzo Shimura; though the man explained that only Uzumaki were capable of holding the Kyuubi within them. So, he knew that the village needed her if they wanted to keep a Bijuu.

So, acting on this allied decision, the Council had assigned Kisaki a guardian in Anko, which had surprised the woman greatly. Given her own condition and status, she didn't think she'd be given the position at all. However, it was explained that she was one of the best kunoichi within the village, even if she was only a Special Jonin. With that in mind, they believed that she would be best in teaching Kisaki how to be an essential member of the Ninja Corps.

It was completely militaristic in view, but she accepted the position. In truth, she saw this is a great opportunity to try and establish a connection with a fellow outcast and help keep her from going down the wrong path.

Once word of this reached Yugao, she had immediately went to Sarutobi and just short of demanded him to let her retire from ANBU so that she could help watch over Kisaki. She presented plenty of arguments to support her decision, and she was approved the following week.

So, with two new guardians in their life, Kisaki and Kikyo slowly broke out of their shells and gave the women a chance. Kisaki was the one who opened up fastest when presented with the opportunity to learn how to fight. She had been "born" thanks to the trauma, and she enjoyed the idea of battling and, in her words, "painting the ground red with blood".

While unnerved, Yugao and Anko knew that Kisaki would need a way to protect herself. So, they began to teach her, but tried to pace the more sadistic persona. Unfortunately for them, Kisaki excelled in anything related to combat and she quickly took in everything presented to her like a sponge. Kenjutsu, ninjutsu, and advanced taijutsu were a breeze for her, much to their concern.

As for Kikyo, she was terrified of battle and saw it as something horrific. She preferred to learn things that would keep her from fighting; though she wasn't against some form of self-defense. So, she leaned more towards arts such as medical ninjutsu, genjutsu, and fuinjutsu. Her reasoning was that she could still help and protect others without having to personally get involved in a fight.

"Kisaki-nee wants to do that," she had said at the time.

So, Anko called in a favor in her close friend, Kurenai Yuhi, to give Kikyo some pointers. The Snake Mistress was still slightly jealous at how much the kinder persona and her friend had clicked.

Kikyo had also taken the time to shadow some of the medical staff and a couple of them had even given her some pointers on their branch of ninjutsu, which she enjoyed. As for fuinjutsu, she spent long nights reading over scrolls, her nose practically touching the paper as she immersed herself in the art.

* * *

After years of study and practice, the shared body of Kisaki and Kikyo had become a splendid kunoichi that was proficient in nearly all of the ninja arts. No one was able to fully determine why she had so much drive to get better, but Sarutobi had an idea.

He had just dismissed the three women, hiding his wonderment at how much the now fifteen year old kunoichi had grown over the years. No longer was she the frightened or broken girl she used to be, and in her place was kunoichi her parents would've been proud of. But still, the drive she showed was aimed at something.

He wasn't called the "Professor" just for his level of intellect and skill in various branches. He was also very observant, and he had little doubt that the drive shown in both Kisaki and Kikyo was because of something he had involuntarily started. It was Kikyo who had asked about the chances of running into rogue ninja outside of the village, and he had honestly told her his hypothetical estimate.

Kisaki then came up with the idea of becoming a Hunter Ninja, which Sarutobi had stated was an impressive goal and said that she could one day be the person to bring in criminals such as Orochimaru and Itachi.

He sighed as he realized that it was finding Itachi that was fueling the girl. That attachment had never fully faded since his departure, and the small part that lingered had become so solidified that both personas believed that their best chance of finding him again was to actively "hunt" him down. A weathered hand reached up and tiredly rubbed his forehead as he came to the conclusion that he'd have to try and find some way to sway her from that path.

Every side of his thought process, be it emotional or rational, didn't believe he had a chance in hell.

* * *

"Here again, Kikyo-chan?" asked a nurse with a kind smile as the blue-eyed persona walked up to the Check-In Desk.

The girl smiled and nodded. "I know I still need more lessons. So far, I can only fix cracked bones. I need to move onto fractured and then broken ones."

The nurse nodded in understanding as she wrote a note on a slip of paper, handing it to the Uzumaki. "Go ahead and take that to Yakushi-kun. I'm sure he'll be happy to continue your studies."

"Thank you, Hibara-san," the redhead replied as she took the note and went to find the medic in question. She had met him a couple of times, and he was always very polite with her.

 _"You realize that he's only so nice to us because our condition interests him so much, right?"_ voiced Kisaki from within Kikyo's mind. _"We're a subject of study in his eyes; nothing more."_

 _'Maybe… But, is it so wrong to give people the benefit of the doubt, nee-sama?'_ she asked back.

 _"Give them an inch, they take a mile. I'm only looking out for you, imouto…"_

Kikyo smiled at her _sister_ , happy that she was always looking out for her; even if she disapproved of Kisaki's obsession with combat…and blood. She then opened up a door to a patient's room and saw the person she was looking for changing a fluid bag on a resting patient.

Noticing her arrival, Kabuto Yakushi gave her a kind smile. "Hello Kikyo-san. Or is it Kisaki-san this time?" he greeted with a small chuckle.

"It's Kikyo," she answered with her own giggle that made Kisaki give a universal _gag me_ sign. "I was hoping to continue my lessons."

Taking the note presented to him, he looked it over before giving her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry Kikyo-san, but I'm quite booked today. Maybe tomorrow when I have less responsibilities, okay?"

"Oh, alright then. I'll just…let you get back to it," she awkwardly said, not knowing what else to say. Bidding him farewell, she left the hospital and sighed. _'What to do…'_

 _"We can always bother the other so-called graduates,"_ suggested Kisaki. _"I can't believe how pathetic some of them are; especially the girls! By the Kami, they're embarrassing to be associated with!"_

 _'They're not…_ too _bad,'_ Kikyo tried to defend, but it came out unsure and hesitant.

 _"You don't believe that for one damn second, do you?"_ deadpanned her other half.

 _'…Not really, no,'_ she answered with a sheepish expression, earning the sound of Kisaki palming her face echoing in her thoughts.

 _"At any rate, find us a training field. We need to refresh ourselves."_

Mentally nodding, Kikyo used the Body Flicker to arrive at Field #44, just outside of the gated Forest of Death. Once there, she held up a cross handseal and summoned forth a solid clone that twitched for a second before rolling its neck.

"About time," muttered the clone before its eyes opened, revealing the pink orbs Kisaki had. "Alright, you go work on whatever you want, imouto. I'm gonna see how long I can last in there before I disperse."

Nodding, the blue-eyed half gave her sibling a concerned look. "Don't hurt them too much… They're just animals."

Rolling her eyes, Kisaki replied, "Exactly, and as animals, they will only act like instinctual beasts. If they come at me, I'm not holding back. But, if it makes you feel any better, I won't use my sword. Happy?"

Her sister smiled brightly. "Alright. Try to bring one of them back so that I could practice my healing techniques."

"No promises, considering I'm using a clone's body," retorted Kisaki as she leapt over the fence and disappeared into the dense forest. After she left, Kikyo pulled out a calligraphy set and some tags.

It was just another day for the two _twins_.

* * *

"So, how is she doing?" asked a silver haired Jonin who wore a facemask and his headband over one of his eyes.

Anko took a sip of her sake and asked back jokingly, "Which one?"

Giving her a bored look, he stayed silent and returned his gaze to the orange book in his hand.

"She's fine, senpai," replied Yugao as she took a drink of her water. "More than ready for the next Chunin Exams, and she's doing alright emotionally as well."

"And her studies?" Kurenai asked, genuinely curious at how far Kikyo had taken her teachings.

Anko rolled her eyes and leaned back in her seat, eyeing the other Jonin around her. The sensei of the rookie teams holding practically all of the clan heirs and heiresses were there, along with Guy and Hayate; Yugao's boyfriend. It honestly bothered her at how curious they were now that Kisaki/Kikyo was a successful _investment_ for the village.

 _'Why couldn't they show this amount of interest before I took her in?'_ she mentally ranted, taking a breath to keep such thoughts from become vocal. "She practices every day; even on weekends. She has something to prove, that's for sure."

Guy smiled and gave his signature thumbs-up. "Her Flames of Youth burn brightly, then!"

The others didn't even bother to comment on his exuberant statement. "You know," began Asuma Sarutobi, "if she's a wind type, I'd be happy to give her some help."

"And what about _your_ students?" queried Anko with a frown. Both personas were _her_ and _Yugao's_ apprentices, and it'd be a cold day in hell before they gave the split-minded girl to another teacher. Kurenai was an exception due to both of them having practically no knowledge in genjutsu.

"I can balance teaching them and giving her some pointers," confidently replied the smoker, tossing away a used up cigarette.

Kakashi gave the man a sidelong glance. "I doubt that, to be honest with you. I won't deny that, even if I really want to, I wouldn't be able to teach her _and_ my team at the same time. This recent mission to Wave proved that to me."

Anko couldn't help but throw in a barb. "Your laziness finally get the better of you, Cyclops?"

"You could say that," he answered, putting away his book. "I need to step up my game as a teacher; otherwise I'll get them killed."

Kurenai gave an approving nod. "At least you can notice faults before they become hazardous. And I agree with you in terms of balancing teaching."

She couldn't take it anymore! Standing up and slamming her palms on the table, Anko shouted, "Where the fuck do you all get off, huh?!" Seeing how she got their attention, along with a mix of shock and surprise, she continued, "Who the hell do you think you are, trying to take our student and charge away from us?! Better yet, where the fuck were _any_ of you before she became the local gossip prodigy?!"

Yugao sighed at her friend's outburst, but she said nothing to stop her. She was right in a way, after all.

Crossing her arms under her chest, Anko glared at her colleagues. "Get this through to your heads; Kikyo and Kisaki are _our_ girls. I appreciate how willing you are to help, but I find it annoying and fucked up that you all wait until _now_ to do a fucking thing for her."

With her piece said, she walked out of the bar they were seated in. Yugao waited for her to leave before she too stood up, closely followed by her boyfriend. "While I wouldn't have said it like that, I completely agree with Anko. Focus on your own students' growths and leave the twins to us."

She too then took her leave with Hayate, leaving the others to contemplate their words in silence.

* * *

"You didn't have to be so rough on him, nee-sama," admonished Kikyo as she looked over an unconscious bear that had many bruises and a few cracked ribs.

"Hey, that walking floor rug tried to fucking _maul_ me!" defended the pink-eyed twin as she polished her sword. "I wasn't gonna take that shit lying down!"

Sighing without stopping her work, the kinder twin commented, "You picked up too much of Anko-nee-sama's mannerisms…"

"And you became a prude like Yugao-nee," fired back Kisaki with a smirk.

The two then shared a laugh at the barbs shared, enjoying the moment they had together as sisters. Sitting in silence, the two just enjoyed the moment as Kisaki continued her weapon maintenance and Kikyo attended to her _patient_.

After a moment, she stepped away from the beast, letting her sister drag it back into the forest and lock the gates. Clapping her hand free of dirt and fur, Kisaki turned to her twin. "They said that we'll be going on a mission outside of the Land of Fire this week. Something about looking after some big shot actress or something."

"Actress?" mused Kikyo, tapping her chin cutely before she perked up, smiling excitedly. "Ooh! What if it's Yukie Fujikaze?!"

Raising a brow, the pink-eyed twin asked, "From the _Princess Gale_ movies?" The possibility went through her mind and she shrugged. "Could be… But I wouldn't get your hopes up, imouto. It could just be some random actress that we've never heard of."

She sweatdropped when she noted that her younger twin wasn't even listening to her; too lost in her excitement. She even saw a blush on her face, making her roll her eyes. She wasn't ashamed to admit that she and Kikyo held more of an attraction to their own sex, finding women to be better choices both emotionally and intellectually.

But still, even if they preferred women, they both held _one_ male close to their hearts. Sighing, Kisaki almost sulked as she wished that he would be a _she_. But, that was just wishful thinking. _'Wherever you are, Itachi...we'll find you. I swear it.'_

* * *

"Achoo!" sneezed a ravenette man with the eyes of a legendary clan.

"Catching a cold, Kin Slayer?" joked a blue-skinned giant of a man with a bandaged object on his back.

Ignoring _his_ partner's amused query, a certain Uchiha rubbed at _his_ chest and frowned in annoyances at the feeling of _his_ bandages becoming worn out from the harsh weather of the Hidden Rain. "I'm fine. Let's get going. We have a job to do."

As _he_ left, the taller man gave off a chuckle. "Right behind you, partner."

* * *

 **1~ If someone could PLEASE draw or make a picture of this look, I'd be BEYOND grateful!**

 **And there we are with the first chapter of this idea! For those of you who might still be confused, let me explain:**

 **Kisaki (the original one) suffered through a traumatic experience and her psyche remedied that by splitting in half. The original half reverted back to its once innocent persona and gained a new name while the new half kept the original name, but matured dramatically from experiencing a cruel aspect of the world and humanity.**

 **This half, Kisaki, became the mental (and sometimes physical) protector of the other half, Kikyo. As such, she became the "elder twin" and embraced the darker side of humanity; becoming sadistic, bloodthirsty, yet fiercely protective. The "younger twin" grew up with a fear of violence, seeing how much it changed her twin, and chose to take on studies that would keep her relatively far from it.**

 **Both sisters will also have different levels of skill/control with their chakra, which you readers will see in future chapters.**

 **Basically, Kisaki Uzumaki is the elder and slightly unstable _twin_ while Kikyo is the younger and more innocent one.**

 **As for the story's pairing, I was going to have it be a yuri pairing between the Twins and "Itachi" Uchiha. If anyone has a decent female name for Itachi, I'd be very grateful.**

 **Until next time!**

 **pain17ification**


	2. Chapter 2: Do Not Speak to Me of Itachi

**Yo! Here comes the next chapter! Let's hope things go well for the Uzumaki Twins, yeah?**

 **Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

 _Me, Myself, and I_

 _Chapter Two: Do Not Speak to Me of Itachi Uchiha_

* * *

"You can't be serious, old man?" Anko asked with a frown, standing in the office of the Hokage alongside Kikyo and Yugao. "You know the history between the Twins and the Uchiha brat. Putting them together on this mission would be counterproductive to the point of reckless endangerment."

Yugao smirked. "You been hitting the dictionary again?" she teased, earning a middle finger from her fellow violette. "Joking aside, I'm inclined to agree with my colleague on this matter, Lord Hokage. This is a bad idea."

"Regardless of the history between the two," began the Hokage, "this decision is final. Kakashi knows the terrain of the Land of Snow better than most; not to mention having already established some form of history with the client's charge. I can't just send him and leave Team 7 without a teacher for such an extended period of time."

"What if someone else offered to teach them?" pleaded Anko.

"My decision, once again, is final," he shot down before turning his attention to Kikyo, who was standing in front of a window, looking beyond the village walls. "I expect you and Kisaki to behave yourselves around young Sasuke. Am I clear, Kikyo?"

The kinder of the Twins was silent for a moment before she answered. "…Yes, sir."

She then turned to face him, Kisaki now in control. "But I make no promises not to retaliate if he does or says anything stupid, old man. _You_ make sure he watches his damn mouth around me, or _I'll_ teach him a lesson in shutting up."

The elder man's eyes bored into the pink, slitted orbs of the young Uzumaki heiress. Both of them had a mental battle waging between them, and it barely ended in Sarutobi's victory when Kisaki returned control to Kikyo.

"I'll have a quick word with Sasuke before having Team 7 meet you and the client at the village gates. Dismissed," said the village leader as the three kunoichi all left in _Body Flickers_. Once they were gone, he sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. "I'm getting too old for this…"

"Then perhaps it'd be best if you chose a successor already, sensei?" suggested a familiar voice, making the old man smile warmly.

"I had one in mind, but he turned it down."

The newcomer fully moved into the office from the window, standing in front of the Hokage with a grin. "Nah, I'm not one for leading nations. Spying, peeping, and taking notes? Those are where I shine."

"Indeed you do, Jiraiya. Now, what brings you here so soon?" queried Sarutobi.

Jiraiya lost his grin for a serious look as he handed his sensei a scroll that was pure black. " _He_ gave me the latest report on our undesirables. Turns out that the leader of the group is someone named Pein, but no contact with the leader has been made; just mentions of his _godly power_."

"Is that all Crow has given us?"

"He was able to drive off Orochimaru from trying anything foolish. However, he lost track of him after defecting from the group."

"What else?"

"Well…he asked how Sasuke is doing…as well as the Twins."

Sarutobi sighed once again. "Sasuke, I could understand. But surely he isn't so invested on them as well?"

Jiraiya gave the man an awkward look in response. "Actually…he seems more interested in their wellbeing than Sasuke's."

"How can you tell?"

"There are more questions about the Twins than about his own brother," answered the Toad Sage, unnerving the Hokage.

"…They can't know about this. If they found out that Itachi is asking about them, they will take it the wrong way and be all the more invested in leaving the Leaf to seek him out."

"Oh sure, I'll just keep this secret from them," replied Jiraiya with an exaggerated tone and eye roll. "Just like I have to keep their father, mother, and Tsunade-hime a secret from them as well. Not to mention never _once_ introducing myself to them as their godfather and the sole holder of their seal's Key."

"Jiraiya," sternly cut off the Hokage. "They cannot know. The Leaf cannot lose both the Uzumaki and the Kyuubi. Their lineage are the only people in the world capable of keeping the beast's power under some form of control; much better than the Sharingan ever could."

"So, the daughters of my late student – who I saw as a son – and the only woman I could've ever seen as my daughter are just a military asset then? Nothing more than a way to keep the _leash_ for the Kyuubi available for the village?" fired back the Toad Sage with a glare.

Sarutobi glared back, not liking the truth being thrown right in his face; and by his own student no less. "I've given you an order, Jiraiya. And as your Hokage and sensei, I expect you to adhere to that order."

Glare increasing, the white haired Sannin moved to the window. "As you command, _Lord Hokage_ ," he bit out before leaving the office, and his sensei to sag into his seat in mental exhaustion.

"Damn old age… Damn village needs…" he cursed. "Damn you, Minato, for leaving me with this mess."

* * *

With Kikyo in control, the Twins were able to repress any outward negativity to be shown as they waited with their two sensei/retainers at the village gates. The source of their shared ire was the younger sibling of Itachi Uchiha, who was everything Itachi wasn't.

Where Itachi had humility, Sasuke had arrogance.

Where Itachi had compassion, Sasuke had hatred.

And where Itachi had passiveness, Sasuke had ruthlessness.

Both Twins disliked the younger Uchiha, and while Kisaki was the more vocal one about it, Kikyo wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind about Sasuke. After all, the biggest reason for their dislike was simple.

Sasuke wanted to _kill_ their _savior_.

Yugao took note of Kikyo frowning as she leaned against the stone walls that encompassed the village. The girl wasn't known for showing such expressions, so something was wrong.

"Besides the obvious, is something the matter, Kikyo-chan?" asked the swordswoman.

The blue eyed Twin turned to her sensei and replied, "Thinking about Uchiha-san made me think about _him_." Her gaze turned to the ground while an aura of depression could be felt from her. "…I miss him, Yugao-nee," she admitted. "It's been so long since nee-sama and I have seen him, and it hurts."

The woman had a slightly conflicted look on her face. She knew Itachi personally when the young man had been in the ANBU. He was a respectable young man who had the best intentions at heart for the village. No doubt if the prodigy had stayed, he would've been a real contender for the Hokage seat. However, one night – one near genocide – erased those chances and left the man a criminal.

And yet, the Twins never looked at any of that when they regarded him. To them, he was their light in the cruel, dark world of ninja. He gave them hope, comforted them through a trauma, and never once judged them for who they are or the beast they carried. And for a child starved for any kind of attention and/or affection, Itachi was the closest thing they had to happiness.

But, he was gone; and with his absence was the core of their hope. They still held onto some, but it was harder to keep it alive as the years passed. Truthfully, the ex-ANBU hoped she never had to be faced was such a loss. If she had lost someone like Hayate, she wouldn't know what she would do.

Placing a hand on Kikyo's shoulder, she gave the girl a reassuring smile. "I know you do, Kikyo-chan. I'll admit that a part of me misses him too. But, don't forget the goal you set for yourself so long ago; to become a huntress and bring him back home. Use that goal to keep moving forward."

"She's right, squirt," agreed Anko as she bit into her dango. "Everyone needs a goal to help them keep going. And while mine isn't about bringing someone back, it's still the thing that helps me push on."

Kikyo smiled at the two violet haired women gratefully. "Thanks. I'm glad I have you both as my sensei."

Her eyes turned pink and Kisaki huffed with a roll of her eyes. "Alright, that's enough of this sappy crap. I'm seeing our client approaching. Looks like the Scarecrow's with him too."

True to her word, Kakashi was indeed walking alongside an elderly man with graying hair that almost overwhelmed his natural brown locks. He wore a pair of glasses and dressed in a simple suit befitting someone who played the role of a servant. A strange choice of clothing for their client, but definitely not the _strangest_.

However, it was the woman on a white steed that was trailing behind the man with four guards that made Kisaki blink in surprise while Kikyo took over. "T-That's Yukie Fujikaze!" she gasped out as her cheeks colored.

Anko chuckled at that, knowing of the softer Twin was quite the fan of the beautiful actress. And being proudly bisexual, Anko couldn't really blame the girl. Yukie was definitely a looker with her midnight blue hair that contrasted her icy blue eyes. With the robes that her character in the films on, along with a minimal amount of makeup, she definitely looked like a noblewoman that could have men (and women, apparently) eating out of her hand.

"Try not to embarrass yourself on this mission, Blue Eyes," teased the Special Jonin, making Kikyo pout with her blush still in place. "If I'm reading the situation right, we'll most likely be guarding Miss Actress."

"That would be the expected mission since Lord Hokage also made a mention of Kakashi-senpai having some sort of history with Fujikaze-san," added Yugao. "Remember, during guard detail, there must always be a set of eyes on whoever we're protecting. Got it?"

"Yes, Yugao-sensei," answered Kikyo before her frown from earlier returned. Team 7's three Genin had arrived with their packs filled, landing next to the silver haired Jonin.

"And, the munchkins are here," noted Anko while leaning on one leg with her hand on her hip. Turning to Kikyo, she gave a fanged grin. "Personally, I hope your sister rips the Uchiha a new one, Blue Eyes. Never liked how stuck up the brat's clan was. Only a _handful_ I could tolerate; and one of them is a criminal."

"Was another of them Mikoto-sama?" asked the Twin, earning a nod from the Special Jonin. "I liked her. She was always so kind to me and told me where I could find Itachi whenever I asked."

Kisaki took over and crossed her arms with a scowl. "How that prick came from her genetics, I'll never know."

"That's enough," Yugao ordered. "Remember what Lord Hokage said."

"I know that already, Moon Flower," shot back the pink eyed Twin. "I won't make any scene…unless the bastard pushes me enough."

Yugao sighed, but nodded since she knew that was the best she was going to get. Once the group was close enough, she stood at attention to her superior, having served under him since she was inducted into ANBU. "Ready to go when you are, senpai."

Kakashi gave her one of his famous eye-smiles, which was also aimed at the other two kunoichi. "Glad to see you're as well-prepared as always, Yugao. Anko, I'm sure I don't need to ask if you have everything."

"If you want, I could show you a few of my _toys_ I packed with my stuff, Cyclops?" asked the woman while licking her lips. Bisexual she was indeed, and on the male side, the silver scarecrow was actually pretty high up on her list.

The man gave an uneasy chuckle as he sweatdropped. _'I should've definitely expected that kind of response,'_ he thought haplessly before turning to the redheaded Genin. "You all set," he took note of her eye color, "Kisaki-san?"

She smirked while her arms remained crossed beneath her budding figure. "What do you take me for, Scarecrow? I'm not some greenhorn and this isn't my first high-ranked mission, y'know."

His eye-smile regained its natural look. "Good to know."

"Hey wait!" cried the pinkette of Team 7, Sakura Haruno, as she eyed Kisaki. "How could you be ready? You don't even have a pack!"

Her teammates and her all received the response of the Twin rolling her eyes in annoyance. "And they wonder why Genin teams take so long to get past those damned D-Ranks… I'm using a storage seal, _Princess_. It keeps me from having a pack out in the open and slowing me down." She smirked and added one last jab, "I would've thought the _class bookworm_ would've known about storage seals already. Guess I gave you too much credit."

Sakura grit her teeth in embarrassment and was unable to say anything back when the Uzumaki turned her attention to Sandayū, their paying client. Pink eyes faded back into blue and Kikyo gave a polite bow. "We're ready to move when you are, Sandayū-san. What is our primary objective?"

The man gave a small smile at the kind greeting; though he was curious about the change in eye color and demeanor. "I would like most of your efforts to be placed on keeping guard around Yukie-sama. Due to her fame and her importance to the _Princess Gale_ franchise, she has quite the target on her head for anyone trying to get a ransom." The Jonin and Kikyo were able to detect the man's nervousness as he spoke, and they knew he was hiding something; especially Kakashi. "So, I'd greatly appreciate having someone stay at Yukie-sama's side at all times."

Anko smirked at this and jabbed her thumb at the blue eyed Uzumaki. "Well, I have no issue nominating Blue Eyes for the job. She's more than ready to take on that responsibility. Plus, the three of us could take shifts on staying with her while the other munchkins," two members of Team 7 bristled at that while the other kept up a disturbingly fake smile, "could focus on guarding you and the convoy."

Yugao nodded in agreement at the arrangement. "That would work best. Even though you want us to look after Fujikaze-san, you're still the paying client; so we need to keep you safe as well. What do you think, senpai?"

Kakashi hummed affirmatively. "Yes, I think the setup works just fine. Kikyo-chan," the non-ninja looked confused at the new addressing of the redheaded girl, "do you have any issue with this?"

She shook her head, fighting off her blush and excitement. "Not at all, Kakashi-sensei. I'll be sure to keep a close guard on Fujikaze-san." She turned to the actress and gave a polite bow, though the huffed response got to her a little. "I promise to protect you, Fujikaze-san."

"Whatever," replied the actress, looking put off by the whole situation. "Could we get a move on now? I want to get to the filming sight as soon as possible."

"Ah yes, of course," Sandayū responded before getting on the sole horse without a rider. "Let's get moving then."

And with that, Team 13 and Team 7 left with the small convoy for the nearest port town where the _Princess Gale_ director would be waiting for them with a ship.

* * *

An hour of travel later found the group making a steady pace. According to Kakashi, if they ran into no trouble on the road, their pace would get them to the port in a couple of days; three at the max.

Like she had been assigned, Kikyo was walking close to Yukie and her horse. The Twin took a page out of the lazy Jonin's book and was reading as she walked. However, she wasn't reading an adult novel but was instead looking through a book on the sealing arts in hopes of getting more inspiration for later seals.

The actress, though she loathed to admit it, was curious about the young kunoichi. From what she had noted from the first impression of her guards, the redheaded girl was the only student of two teachers while the last teacher had _three_ students. That alone raised curiosity, but it was the fact that the girl went by two names apparently that made her curiosity peak.

"What are you reading?" she finally asked, no longer able to stand the silence. She looked at the formulas and designs that were in the book and was absolutely lost on their meaning. "It looks complicated."

Kikyo nodded in understanding. "To someone who hasn't received ninja training – and I mean that without any offense, Fujikaze-san – it would certainly be hard to comprehend. Although, even most ninja have difficulty grasping the intricacy of sealing."

"What exactly makes it so difficult?" asked the actress, showing some interest.

"Well, for starters there are many different symbols and formulas that need to be learned, deciphered, and then committed to memory. With so many to study, it certainly clutters your thoughts if you need to make a seal in a hurry. Another issue is misuse of those formulas and symbols. If you put a wrong symbol in a formula, or vice versa, your seal could be unable to activate; and that's the _best_ case scenario."

Yukie frowned at that. "Why's it the best case?"

"Because the seal could still activate, but with more…disastrous effects. For example, a misused formula for a Bomb Tag could have it prematurely detonate; something that can be fatal." She closed her book and sealed it into a small scroll before stuffing it into her bell sleeve. "I find sealing to be a very diverse and useful art to learn. With enough study, and with an imaginative mind, one could possibly make a seal for practically any situation."

That impressed the actress. "Truly?" She saw Kikyo nod with a polite smile. "You wouldn't happen to have any seals that could give us some better protection, would you?"

"I could make some the next time we take a break, Fujikaze-san, if you really want some. Just remind me when we stop," answered the blue eyed Uzumaki with her smile still in place.

To the surprise of Sandayū, who was keeping an eye on the interaction, Yukie actually gave a ghost of a smile in return before refocusing on the road in front of her. How long had it been since the man had seen her smile; even one so small? Whoever the redheaded girl with two names was, she was definitely showing her worth in his eyes.

Kakashi looked up from his own book and asked the girl, "What interested you in sealing in the first place, Kikyo-chan?"

Her smile softened while her eyes held a warmth that surprised the silver haired man. "Itachi gave me my first scroll many years ago." Unseen by her, Sasuke tensed and scowled at the name. "He said that I might be able to be as great a sealer as my people once were. I've been studying them all I can ever since."

"You seem quite fond of this man," noted Yukie, hearing the affection in the girl's voice.

"I am, and so is my nee-sama. Itachi, he… He saved us when we were lost. We owe everything to him." She wiped her eyes when she felt the corners of them getting moist. When they were cleared, her blue orbs held a fierce determination that could rival Kisaki's. "We'll find him one day…and we're going to bring him home."

The confidence and sureness in her tone caught Yukie by surprise. However, she wasn't able to comment on it when Sasuke finally spoke up. "You won't do anything other than stay out of my way! Itachi needs to pay for what he did to my clan, and I'll be the one to kill him!"

Kikyo glared at the Uchiha scion. "No, you won't. If you try to kill him, then nee-sama and I will stop you, _Uchiha_."

"I'd like to see you try, freak!" fired back Sasuke as he stopped walking and turned to the Uzumaki in a slightly crouched stance.

Blue eyes bled into pink while the pupils stretched into slits. "Care to repeat that, Shit Stain?" Kisaki growled out while the flower symbol on her right palm began to emit a red glow. "I won't have anyone insult me, and especially not my imouto."

 _'Imouto?'_ Yukie asked in her head, confused as to what was happening. She took note of Kikyo's eyes no longer being blue as well as the near 180 degree shift in attitude, and she frowned thoughtfully. _'She… She can't have split personalities…could she?'_

"Alright," Kakashi cut in, standing between the two Genin with a stern look in his visible eye. "That'll be enough of that. Don't forget that we have a job to do, and you two fighting will only hamper our progress."

"This won't take long, Kakashi," assured Sasuke as he activated his clan's signature ocular gift and hardened his glare at Kisaki.

"As much as I want to cut off my tongue for saying this, he's right, Hatake-san," agreed Kisaki. "This won't take long at all…though the village will lose one of their founding clans at the end of it." Her lips curled back as she grinned maliciously.

"I said _enough_ ," repeated the Jonin, spiking his chakra to give off intense pressure. However, only Sasuke was affected since his reserves weren't near that of Kakashi's. Kisaki was able to completely ignore it thanks to her intense chakra pool. "I won't have you two causing any problems on this mission. If you keep this up, then I'll charge you with insubordination and reckless endangerment. Am I clear?"

Sasuke growled, but wasn't able to fight against the pressure in the air, so he reluctantly nodded. Kisaki scoffed in response, but gave a quick nod to show she would obey the order. However, she had one last word of warning for Sasuke.

"Clear the shit outta your ears and listen up, Ass Wipe," she began, ignoring her growl at the insult. "Do not _ever_ speak to me of Itachi Uchiha." His growl became a snarl, but she continued anyway. "You may have been his brother, but you know _nothing_ about him. Insult him, curse him, or threaten him one more time…then fuck the damn consequences."

Her pink eyes darkened to a crimson color, one that made Sasuke freeze since they reminded him of _his_ eyes on _that_ night. They regarded him as if he was nothing, as if he didn't need any effort to be eradicated from existence. However, with those dismissive eyes came images of slaughter…of death…of blood.

In a surprisingly calm tone, again reminiscent of _him_ , she finished, "I'll _annihilate_ you in an instant. That's a promise."

* * *

 **And there you have it; chapter two!**

 **This chapter was mainly to get the Land of Snow Arc started, but it was also to show you the bad blood between Sasuke and the Uzumaki Twins concerning Itachi Uchiha.**

 **I want to thank everyone for giving me suggestions for Itachi's true name in this story. By popular choice, I'm going to go with Izumi (and also because it reminds me of the badass character of the same name from** _ **Fullmetal Alchemist**_ **).**

 **Please like, review, and look out for more!**

 **Until next time!**

 **pain17ification**


	3. Chapter 3: Land of Snow

**Chapter 3 coming at ya!**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **pain17ification**_ **owns nothing**

* * *

 _Me, Myself, and I_

 _Chapter Three: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow_

* * *

It had been over a week since the two Hidden Leaf teams left with their client and the actress that he worked for. As agreed, the Twins stayed close to Yukie and kept watch for anyone that could do the woman harm. The three Jonin of the group also took shifts with the Twins while Team 7 and the remaining two Jonin kept watch over Sandayū and the film crew.

Currently, Kakashi was with the Twins and the actress, reading his famous orange book while he stayed in the cabin of the ship the director had rented. Yukie was, to his interest, talking with Kikyo about some of her movies. He fought a chuckle at seeing the faint blush on the redhead's face, knowing that the daughter of his late teacher had a thing for women.

"I still think that your latest movie was the best," Kikyo stated, giving Yukie a small smile. "You looked like you were more into your role than the other movies, and it showed in your performance."

"You think so?" Yukie asked curiously. "I don't think I was actually as focused as you make me seem."

Shaking her head, the blue-eyed Twin elaborated, "You didn't need to be so focused in that movie. It seemed more natural to you at that point; which made it so much better." Her smile grew as she added, "I can't wait to see you on the set. Watching your movies is one thing; but seeing you in action will be something else."

"Trust me, it won't be as glamorous as you think," waved off the actress. "Before the editors work their magic, it won't look as crisp as the final product."

"Oh, I know that. But like Anko-sensei says, _It's not the destination so much as the journey_."

Yukie thought over the statement, finding the relevance in it and nodding in agreement. "I can appreciate that."

Suddenly, without warning, the ship jerked forward and threw the actress off balance. Kikyo was quick to catch her and readjust her posture, blushing brightly at how close she was to her crush. Her blush grew when she heard Kisaki comment on just how _close_ the moment made them, due to the Twins briefly getting a feel for the actress' bosom.

"A-Are you alright?" Kikyo asked with a small stutter.

Yukie nodded as she took a step away from the Twin. "I'm alright. What happened?"

"My guess is that the ship hit something," Kakashi spoke up, closing his book and putting it in his pouch before moving to the door of the cabin. Opening it, he and the two women saw that the boat had indeed struck something; an iceberg to be exact.

After making sure everyone, both ninja and civilian alike, were alright, the director had a moment of brilliance and saw the iceberg as a great spot for filming. So, without further ado, the filming crew got their equipment set up and ready while Yukie was looked over by her makeup artist. Team 7 was instructed by Kakashi to form a perimeter around the film site while staying out of the crew's way.

Team 1 kept watch from beside the director. They were lookouts for anything that seemed out of place; the three of them already being slightly on edge at the strange convenience of the stray iceberg. To Yugao, it looked too perfect for a filming site and Anko just had an odd feeling about it, having learned to trust her gut long ago. For the Twins, they couldn't help but feel like they were being watched by someone, and it put them on edge; enough for Kisaki to currently be in control of their body.

Even though they all felt unsure of the situation, the filming was going quite well. Yukie looked incredibly beautiful and her performance in front of the camera was nothing short of professional. Kikyo was gushing about it in Kisaki's mind, and the more abrasive Twin couldn't help but agree with her sister's comments.

Hell, she was blushing slightly at how stunning the actress looked; something that made Anko snicker and Yugao smirk.

It was during the movie villain's monologue that things went south. An explosion near the top of the iceberg's structure caught everyone by surprise, and the ensuing avalanche made them start to scramble back to the ship for safety. Team 1 all jumped into action with the two Jonin using Fire Style ninjutsu to melt the snow and ice enough to redirect the avalanche into the frigid sea. Kisaki had appeared at Yukie's side in a blur, her serrated sword in hand as her pink eyes darted left and right for any instigators of the avalanche.

A blur of movement caught her attention, and she moved Yukie behind her just in time to raise her sword and block a metal gauntlet that had been aimed at the actress. The gauntlet was parried before it retracted by a thick cable and reattached to a large man's arm. The man was wearing a snowsuit with a strange device attached to his chest. On his forehead was a headband for the Hidden Snow Village and strapped to his back was a foldable snowboard.

Kisaki stayed close to Yukie's side, taking note of Team 7's Genin intercepting a pinkette kunoichi dressed similarly to the first man; the only major difference being the mechanical wings that were connected to the device on her chest, giving her a flight advantage. Kakashi was locked in combat with the last member of the Hidden Snow team; a man with purple hair tied in a long tail, teal eyes, and a matching suit and device to that of his allies.

With the situation noted in her mind, she made a clone for Kikyo to take control of. "Take Yukie back to the ship," she ordered. "I'll handle the big guy."

Nodding, the blue-eyed Twin began to lead the actress away from the battle, bidding her sister good luck as she hurried off. It was just in time too, for the large Snow Ninja had reached Kisaki with his snowboard and went for a wide swing of his metal encased arm. Kisaki deflected the arm with her sword, grinding into the metal with the Wind Style chakra she ran along the blade's edge.

The two separated with Kisaki giving a wicked grin to the man as he checked his gauntlet and saw a shallow cut; though it was still a cut through thick metal. "Damn brat," he growled as he went through handseals and sent a large wave of snow towards Kisaki.

The Twin wasn't fazed and she swiped her sword upward, sending a thin wave of sharpened wind that cut the snow pile in half. As soon as the opening was large enough, she kicked off of the snowy ground and launched herself at her opponent, taking a wild swing with her sword.

The swing was evaded and the man went for a counter hit with his arm, but Kisaki ducked under it in a fluid spinning motion, getting a nice slash into the man's side. Her grin was gone, though, when she saw that the Wind chakra was had been nullified. She rolled backwards when the man swung his board at her, letting her see that one side of the board was sharpened enough for it to be a bladed weapon of sorts.

Making distance, she went through handseals quickly and unleashed a gale of wind from her lips that kicked up the snow and became a wave of its own. After that, she leapt high into the air to get a better look at what was going on, narrowing her eyes at the device on the man's chest. They narrowed further when she saw the device light up and the jutsu be significantly weakened as it got too close to the man.

 _'So, it's some sort of armor then,'_ she mused. _'Looks like ninjutsu isn't the best option for these guys.'_ As soon as she landed, she applied chakra to her feet and raced towards the man with her sword poised to strike. "Fine," she spoke up, her grin returning as her eyes flicked red briefly. "It's more fun this way, anyway!"

With a mad laugh, she leapt at the man, giving him a multitude of slashes that he deflected with his arm. She only laughed more as she saw her attack fail, keeping her assault on him and forcing him to go on the defensive. The man grew unnerved at her grin, and he fought a shiver at the near demented laugh she was letting out.

The girl was clearly unhinged.

He kept on the defensive, taking a few cuts that were fractionally getting too close for comfort. When an opening was revealed, he booted the girl and made some distance before taking out a windmill shuriken and hurling it at her. He wasn't surprised to see her deflect it with a perfect parry, but he _was_ surprised to see her jump after it and pull off a "return to sender" by having her sword's tip catch the shuriken by the center hole. With a flick of her wrists, she sent the weapon back at him and charged again.

He activated the defensive mechanism of his Chakra Armor as soon as the shuriken was close enough, making the weapon shatter when it got within the perimeter of the chakra shroud. As the girl got closer, he readied himself to intercept her attack.

"Nee-chan, blind fire!" a voice exactly like the girl he was facing called out just as a kunai with a flash bang entered his line of sight; the small bomb already set to erupt.

In a brilliant flash, the man found his sight taken from him while Kisaki, having been warned by Kikyo as soon as she threw the kunai, kept her charge with her eyes covered by her free arm. The bang still made her ears ring, but she could smell the blood from the man's cuts, giving her a target.

Just as she leaped to initiate her attack, she moved her arm away to get a clearer shot. With a graceful twist of her body, her sword cut into the Snow Ninja's neck, giving it a deep laceration that immediately spurted out his life's essence and stained the snow crimson. He gave a gurgled cry of pain and held onto his wound, leaving him open for Kisaki to do a sharp 180 spin and finish him off, removing the man's head from his shoulders.

Kikyo looked away just before that happened, cringing at the sound of sharpened metal slicing through flesh and bone. When the sound of something heavy crunching the snow entered her ears, she turned back to the scene and saw her sister stabbing her sword into the snow to clear away the blood before flicking it off to the side to get any remains off.

"Nice assist," complimented the pink-eyed Twin. "Thanks for having my back."

Despite having a hand in killing a man, Kikyo gave her sister a warm smile. "What are sisters for?" she returned. "Are you alright?"

Smirking, Kisaki replied, "I'm good. I'm just glad that this mission won't be so boring anymore; even if the eye candy is a nice bonus."

Kikyo fought a giggle at that before dispelling, returning to Kisaki's mind. _"We better return to the others. Those other two Snow Ninja took off after saying that Yukie isn't just an actress."_

Intrigued, Kisaki resealed her sword and made her way back to her two instructors/caretakers.

* * *

Turns out, Yukie Fujikaze was just a stage name; an alias used to keep her true identity a secret. In fact, the woman that Sandayū had asked the two teams from the Hidden Leaf to protect was actually the princess of the Land of Snow; Koyuki Kazehana.

Years ago, when Koyuki was still a child, her uncle Dotō had killed her father in order to take control of the Land of Snow. To do that, the man strived to make use of the necklace Koyuki always wore, which was rumored to unlock the treasure of the snow-covered country.

Koyuki had no wish to return to her homeland, only agreeing to film in the country because her director practically begged her to. Although, it seemed as if Sandayū was subtly influencing the director into filming inside the country in hopes of returning Koyuki to her rightful place as ruler. Discovering this, Koyuki had sent the man away in anger, feeling deceived by him into doing something she had no intention of.

At some point in the night, while everyone was trying to decide on what to do, the princess attempted to sneak off and escape her country once more; though this time without the aid of the ANBU from her past (Kakashi).

She didn't get far.

* * *

Kikyo was walking through a frozen cavern with the disheartened princess, having convinced her to return willingly instead of bound; something that the kinder Twin had vehemently said she had no wish to do, but would. It was only because Koyuki had some bonding moments with the Twins that she reluctantly agreed; that and having no desire to be tied up.

"…"

"…"

It was uncomfortably silent between them. Koyuki had no intention of talking about her past or her country while Kikyo felt depressed at having to twist the arm of someone she admired. Kisaki had no qualms against it, but she didn't like the fact that it made her sister so upset.

"…I'm sorry," Kikyo finally spoke up, making Koyuki blink in confusion.

"For what? You didn't ask to be here and take this mission. From what you told me, you didn't want to come at first."

"It's just…hearing about your past and everything makes me understand, at least somewhat, why you don't want to come back. If I was in your place, I'd probably be doing the same thing."

 _"Not me! I'd kick that bastard's ass from here to next century!"_ interjected Kisaki.

Ignoring her sister's comment, Kikyo continued, "I know what it's like to lose someone you cherish; but I don't know what it's like to lose them forever. Nee-chan and I can still find Itachi, but you…"

She couldn't finish.

Koyuki felt her heart tug slightly. It was…comforting to have someone have such sympathy for her. She was a selfish coward; she could grudgingly admit that. Sympathy was something she did not feel she deserved, and yet this girl – no, this young _woman_ – was showing her a genuine kindness that she wasn't used to.

It made her feel guilty.

"Look," began the princess, halting her steps and making Kikyo do the same. "I never wanted to rule a country or be the inspiration of some revolution. Ever since I was young, I had always wanted to act and perform; and my father supported that dream. He was…" Her gaze turned far-off. "He was a good man; a good ruler. My uncle is cruel and heartless to have done what he did. I want him to pay; believe me, I do. But," she looked somber, "I can't ask people to give their lives for it. I don't have what it takes to rule a country, and I'm not sure I will."

The Twins were silent, letting the woman vent out her frustrations.

"But…I'm getting tired of running. It's getting harder to stay away from the place I was raised; the country my father helped guide and rule through compassion and good-will. If… If this is the one chance I have to finally get justice," she took a breath and looked Kikyo in the eye, smiling faintly, "then I guess I'll have to take it and hope for the best."

Kikyo smiled back and nodded. "I'll be happy to help you, Kazehana-hime."

The woman shook her head. "Don't call me that. You and your sister have done enough to call me by my first name." She gave a small bow and said, "I'm in you and your sister's care, Kikyo-chan."

Kikyo turned tomato red – Kisaki blushing faintly in her mind – and stumbled over her words for a moment, amusing the princess. After taking time to compose herself, the blue-eyed Twin finally could say, "We'll do our best, Koyuki-chan."

The sweet moment between them was cut off from continuing when they felt a wave of warmth come from where they had been walking from. At their feet, two lines or faint blue chakra became visible, melting the ice and revealing a set of tracks that led to where they had been walking towards.

Panic took in and Kikyo let Kisaki take over so that she could get behind Koyuki and pick her up bridal style before taking off at full speed towards the exit. That same panic crept into Koyuki's heart as she heard the telltale sound of a train whistle and saw the large light at the front.

"Oh kami!" she gasped out, turning back to the front. "We're not gonna make it!"

"With that kind of attitude, you're right, _Princess_!" retorted Kisaki, still going full sprint. "I'm not stopping for one second! We're getting out of this, or we'll die trying!"

"You're crazy!" cried the actress, clutching the redhead in fright at the thought of death.

Kisaki laughed as she kept running, running chakra through her legs to keep their strength up. "Maybe, but I'm the crazy person who's saving your tight ass!"

Koyuki squeaked and her face _burned_ at the feeling of Kisaki's hands giving her ass a brief squeeze.

"So, shut up and let me do it, ttebane!" the Twin finished, eyes turning red for a split-second.

Faster and faster Kisaki ran, barely staying ahead of the speeding mass of metal while continuously egging herself on with a chant of _"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"_. With a final burst of adrenaline, she burst through the opening before immediately diving to the side, just in time for the train to blitz past them both as they landed in the snow.

Out of breath, Kisaki was gasping for air while Koyuki was left in shock at the Twin's incredible feat of physical exertion. Through her gasps, the redhead gave weak laughs and panted out, "Told…you that…I'd…save your…ass…ttebane…"

Seeing the proud look on the Leaf kunoichi's face, Koyuki allowed herself to relax and even laughed with her. "Yeah… You sure did…"

After resting enough to get her breathing stable, Kisaki forced herself to her feet before she and Koyuki resumed their trek back to the others.

* * *

It was devastating.

By the time they made it, they saw dozens of samurai – even Sandayū – laid dead on the snowy hillside that faced the side of the train. There were hundreds of kunai knives either stabbed into the dead or stuck in the snow. Koyuki fell to her knees in horror at the sight of so many of her countrymen dead; more than likely having given up their lives in the name of her father (if not for her).

She was so out of it that she was unprepared for a claw attached to a cable line to snag onto her snow coat and drag her into the air towards an awaiting blimp. She gave a cry of surprise and fear while Kisaki rushed up the nearest tree and leapt towards her, throwing a kunai with a rope attached to the ringed pommel.

Koyuki stretched out her hand to catch it, but she missed and fear took over. Fortunately, the miss wasn't absolute since the rope wrapped around her arm and she quickly grasped it so that it wouldn't unwind. Acting as the anchor, she held on tightly while the Uzumaki started pulling herself up the rope.

Their fortune was cut short though, for the pinkette Snow kunoichi jumped out of the blimp and cut the rope with the sharpened edge of her retractable wings. With nothing holding her up, the last Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf fell towards the trees below while Koyuki cried out, "Kikyo-chan! Kisaki-chan! NO!"

* * *

The Twins woke up to someone gently slapping their cheek, opening their blue eyes and showing that Kikyo was in control. "Wha-?"

"Easy now," urged Yugao, helping the girl stand up from the tree she had crashed into and toppled over. "You're pretty banged up."

With a hiss, the kinder Twin let her sensei help her out. Worry filled her and she quickly asked, "What happened to Koyuki-chan?!"

Yugao didn't answer immediately, focused on using healing ninjutsu to fix up her student. "Dotō has her. We're going to make a plan to- Wait!" Kikyo forced herself out of Yugao's arms and stumbled forward. "What are you doing?! You're in no condition to do anything right now!"

"I…" strained the Uzumaki, forcing herself to walk, "promised Koyuki-chan…that I would…help her! I can't…stop now!"

"At least let us come up with a plan first!" Yugao stressed, standing in Kikyo's path. "I'm not going to let you run to your death!"

"And I'm not going to sit around while Koyuki could be killed!" argued back the Twin, one eye turning pink and the other staying blue. "We made a promise, and we're going to keep it, ttebane!"

Yugao froze for a moment, a familiar redheaded woman flashing through her mind before her image stood behind the Twins, matching their determined look and glare. _'Sensei… Heh…'_ She smiled softly. _'They're just like you were…'_ Taking a breath, Yugao nodded to her student. "Okay… But at least let me get Anko over here and heal you up."

They kept their glare, but nodded. "Fine… But hurry it up!"

 _'Yep,'_ deadpanned the woman mentally, remembering Kushina's impatient nature when she was her sensei. _'Just like you were.'_

* * *

It was to the Twins' growing fortune that Team 7 came over with Anko and a plan was made quickly. Team 7, led by Kakashi would take on Dotō's subordinates (Kakashi facing Nadare while his Genin took on Fubuki). Meanwhile, Team 1 would focus their efforts on taking down Dotō himself and saving Koyuki.

Kakashi had been smart enough to bring a scarf from Koyuki's cabin so that his ninja hound, Pakkun, could get a scent and lead them to her location. They found themselves being led to a large stone alter with a pedestal in the center and large reflective rock pillars surrounding the border of the rounded alter.

Inserting the necklace into the pedestal, it was revealed to be a key for a massive heat generator that melted away the snow, revealing the barely growing grass that had been buried beneath. Koyuki was left speechless for she had a vague memory of her father promising to show her Spring and bringing it to their Winter oriented country.

She couldn't fight the smile and tears that formed, seeing the fruits of her father's efforts and how, even in death, he looked out for her and their country. Dotō on the other hand was not as pleased, having expected power or riches; not a glorified heater.

In his rage, he sent his subordinates after the Leaf ninja, which spurned them to put their plan into action. Splitting up, Team 7 took on the two Snow Ninja while Team 1 faced down Dotō, who was wearing a newer Chakra Armor than his henchmen.

Unknown to them all, the director of the film crew had his men working their cameras so that they could capture every moment on film.

Anko took point, two kunai brandished in her hands as the engaged the man in close quarters, using her Snake Style taijutsu to her advantage. Her flexibility was the perfect foil to the man's more power focused taijutsu, letting her get quick hits inside of his guard before she leapt away for Yugao to engage him with her sword.

Yugao was left unable to do much, unfortunately; the man's armor rendering her style insufficient due to the fact that it relied on chakra usage for many of its techniques. However, that didn't mean that she couldn't keep him occupied for her teammates to flank the man. And they tried to, but he kept them at bay with his Ice Style: Black Dragon Blizzard.

The black snow fired from the jutsu took the shape of a dragon's head with menacing red eyes, and it was able to be aimed by Dotō; an enhancement given to him because of his Chakra Armor. Because of this, the all-female team was forced to go on the defensive, keeping out of reach of the dragon while looking for any openings. It became much more difficult when he added a second dragon into the mix and they merged into a massive black tornado that had a vacuum effect; attempting to drag them into its devastation.

The women all used chakra to hold their ground, but Kikyo saw that Koyuki was gripping a boulder for dear life before her grip slipped and she began to fly towards the tornado. Eyes wide, Kikyo released her chakra and moved with the vacuum's force, increasing her speed so that she could grab Koyuki by her arm just before she anchored herself with her chakra once more.

"Don't let go!" urged the Twins, using all their combined strength to pull the princess closer to them and away from the black tornado. "We've got you!"

Blue, frightened eyes locked with the mismatched eyes of the young redheaded woman, and she saw raw determination burning within them both. This put her heart at ease and she gave a faint smile before nodding firmly. "I won't!" she called back, using what strength she had to reach her other arm around to grab the Twins.

The shared body grinned at her before they turned to their two teachers. "Yugao, Anko, torch that damn thing already!"

Anko grinned at the idea while Yugao smirked and the two blazed through handseals for their collaboration jutsu.

"Fire Style/Wind Style!" Anko and Yugao began respectively. "Dragon Flame Jutsu/Drilling Air Bullet!"

The dragon head made of flames flew towards to tornado, only to expand greatly and give off incredible heat when the wind bullet struck it and gave it more fuel to burn. The vacuum force of the Twin Dragon Blizzard only helped suck in the flames before the entire tornado became a pillar of swirling flames. The spinning blaze erased the vacuum, letting Koyuki fall onto the grass below while the Twins quickly moved in front of her, two sealing tags in their hands.

The pillar then collapsed on itself and erupted outwards as a wave of fire, but the Uzumaki were prepared and they made a large ring of clones around the perimeter of the alter; each one armed with the same two tags that the original had. As one, they all cried out, "Sealing Jutsu: Twin Fire Sealing Method!"

All the tags lit up, making a ring of chakra that intercepted the wave of fire, sucking it all into them and leaving them all unscathed; save for Dotō who had been trapped inside of his own tornado and roasted alive. All that remained of him was his charred skeleton, and even that didn't fully hold up thanks to the breeze moving through the valley they were in.

The clones dispersed and the original fell to her knees in exhaustion, a tired smile on her face as the pink eye faded into blue; indicating Kikyo in control. "T…Told you…we'd help you," she muttered to Koyuki before losing the rest of her strength and falling unconscious.

The last thing she saw was the princess/actress looking at her in concern and a faint echo of her calling out her name.

* * *

She woke up to the sight of a medical tent, recognizing the smell of anesthetics and medicine while seeing the "ceiling" of the tent itself. With a weak groan, she tried to sit up, but a soft hand placed itself on her shoulder and gently held her down. Blearily, she looked to the owner of the hand and was surprised to see that it was Koyuki, dressed in a rather stunning sundress that was white in color.

The woman gave her a smile and said, "Don't get up. You deserve to rest after everything you did."

Kikyo swallowed and tried to speak, but her throat was too dry for words to come out. Koyuki quickly got her some water and helped her drink, earning a thankful look from the Uzumaki. "So…we won?"

The actress gave another smile and nodded. "Yes… My country has been saved and my people are grateful to you all for your efforts." Her smile softened significantly as she added, "And I'm especially grateful to you and your sister for doing so much for me. You both saved my life so many times and helped me get justice for my father. I can't thank you both enough."

Kikyo smiled back, shaking her head. "You don't need to do anything for us. We promised to help you, and we weren't going to break that promise." Her eyes closed and she had a proud look on her face as she said this, making Koyuki once again amazed at the Twins; this time for their modesty.

Still, she felt the need to do _something_ , and she had a good idea what it could be. So, leaning down, she pressed her lips gently on the young woman's forehead, making the Uzumaki's eyes widen and her cheeks blaze red. Left frozen, she was unable to say or do anything while Koyuki pulled back, her cheeks blushing faintly.

"Thank you both." She grabbed the redhead's hand, squeezing it gently and giving her an affectionate smile. "I'm glad I met you both."

Mind rebooted (mainly thanks to Kisaki mentally slapping her back into focus), Kikyo gave her a flustered smile. "I uh…" she tried to say, but it was difficult to. "I'm glad that…we met you too…"

The woman giggled at her reaction. "Promise to keep in touch, okay?" She leaned in, making Kikyo's blush return full force as their faces were inches apart. "I'll look forward to your next visit. And who knows? Maybe I'll come back to the Hidden Leaf to discuss some kind of trade agreement; provided I have someone act as my… _escort_ within the village walls."

Words escaped her due to her flustered state (Kisaki's snickering not helping at all), so all Kikyo could do was nod. It seemed like the right response, for Koyuki smiled a bit brighter and winked before leaving the tent, looking over her shoulder one last time before taking off.

Not even five feet away from the tent, she heard the Uzumaki squeal happily, making her giggle into her hand with a faint blush. She didn't expect to have felt so strongly about this, but for some reason it felt…right to her. And she enjoyed it.

She couldn't wait to see the Uzumaki Twins again.

* * *

 **Cut and Print! That's the end of the third chapter!**

 **So, just to be clear, I'm giving some SERIOUS thought on having this be a Yuri Harem story. Right now, Itachi (Izumi) is still the main love interest of the Twins. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that I won't have them make lasting impressions on other female characters.**

 **So far, I've got three other women in mind for the possible harem. Koyuki is one of them; as seen in this chapter. The others are a secret! *winks***

 **If you guys are for the Yuri Harem, then let me know. The same the other way around. If the harem isn't your cup of tea, then let me know. One thing is for certain though; I'm adding in Koyuki either way. *grins***

 **Also, please don't forget to review! Let me know how I'm doing; especially since this is my first FemNaruto story!**

 **Until next time!**

 _ **~pain17ification~**_


	4. Chapter 4: Exams, Deals, and Truths

**Chapter 4 coming at ya!**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **pain17ification**_ **owns nothing**

* * *

 _Me, Myself, and I_

 _Chapter Four: Exams, Deals, and Truths_

* * *

A week following the successful mission found Teams 1 and 7 walking through the main gates of the Hidden Leaf. "About time," Anko groused. "The Land of Snow and I do _not_ go together…"

"At least Koyuki-hime kept the generator active," Kikyo replied, smiling in memory at the princess-turned-Daimyo's farewell to her and Kisaki.

"Fair point. But before we turned the damn thing on, that place sucked."

"You're as cold-blooded as your snakes," Yugao teased.

"Low blow," Anko pouted back.

"Well," Kakashi cut in with his signature eye-smile, "shall we report to Lord Hokage?"

"Yes, senpai," Yugao replied to her superior.

"Sure, whatever. Take a couple days off, Blue Eyes," Anko told her student.

"Thank you, sensei," Kikyo replied with a respectful bow. She and the Genin of Team 7 watched their sensei leave before she too left, not wanting to spend too much time around the Uchiha.

"Hey," said pest called out to her.

"Yes, Uchiha-san?" she replied, her back to him.

"I don't care what he did for you. Stay out of the affairs of the Uchiha Clan."

"Funny," she began, looking over her shoulder as Kisaki took over, "I was going to warn you to stay out of _Uzumaki_ Clan affairs, chickenshit."

Sasuke glared heatedly at her while Sakura tried to pull him away, giving Kisaki a wary look. Sai just watched in silence, his face devoid of expression.

"You can do whatever you want; but, my imouto and I will get to him first." She then smirked challengingly. "Unless you finally grow some balls to try and stop us."

The young Uchiha would've charged her if Sakura and Sai hadn't held him back. Growling at the Uzumaki, he grit out, "I'll take you down if it means I can face Itachi without some bitch getting in the way."

"You're welcome to try," the pink-eyed twin bid as she walked off, disappearing in a Body Flicker.

Roughly shrugging off his teammates, Sasuke headed for home, stewing over the words the Uzumaki said to him. Sakura followed to try and get him to calm down while Sai looked to where the Twins had once stood. After a moment of staring, he left in his own Body Flicker to give his report.

* * *

"C'mon, Smokey! I'm ready for Round 2!" Kisaki roared as she faced down a familiar large bear.

"Good luck, Kuma-san!" Kikyo called from her perch on a tree branch. "I'm sure nee-sama won't beat you as quickly as last time!"

The bear in question roared furiously at Kisaki, glaring at her smirking face before the two combatants charged. This was redemption! This was payback! This was its comeuppance! Its-!

Kikyo cringed as the sound of multiple blows landing, bones popping and cracking, and the bear's pain-filled roars echoed throughout the forest. Awkwardly, she looked to the readers and said, "Good thing you guys aren't watching this. It uh… It isn't pretty."

"Where ya going, Future Pelt?! I ain't done with you yet!"

"GRROOOAAAA!"

She cringed again as something snapped. "Yeah… _Definitely_ not pretty…" She gave an awkward smile and asked, "How about I just send you guys to the next scene?"

With a wave, she reached up and grabbed the string of a screen, pulling it down as the next scene covered her form. (1)

* * *

"Well, from your reports," Sarutobi began, "I can say that the mission was as much as failure as it was a success."

The three Jonin said nothing, knowing that he was referencing to how the _client_ had been killed during the mission; despite him hiring the Leaf to protect Koyuki instead of him.

"Nevertheless, while the deaths of him and his men are tragic, an alliance has been successfully made between us and the newly named Land of Spring. Excellent work."

"Thank you, sir," the Jonin replied in sync.

"Now, I passed along this notice to your fellow Jonin instructors. The Chunin Exams have arrived."

"We're hosting them this time, right?" Anko asked.

"Yes. I'd like you to act as Proctor for the Second Exam. It'll take place in the Forest of Death, and you know the terrain better than most Jonin."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, since Anko will be a Proctor, Yugao, I want you to tell me if you will sponsor Kikyo and Kisaki for the Exams."

Yugao nodded immediately. "Yes, I will. They both are ready; all of us here know it."

"Well, I suppose I'll sponsor my team as well," Kakashi mused aloud, rubbing his clothed chin.

"Are you sure about that, Kakashi?" the Hokage pressed.

"Yes, I think they should be able to handle it. Besides, they need a bigger wake-up call than the mission we just finished. Besides, I'd never hear the end of it if Sasuke or the Council found out that the Twins were sponsored and he wasn't."

The two kunoichi frowned in distaste at the Council while Sarutobi sighed tiredly. "Yes, they would. It still frustrates me how they scrambled for power before I could retake the Hokage position. It's like they're spitting on Minato's sacrifice."

"Is it impossible for you to regain your political power?" Yugao asked.

"Not impossible; just incredibly difficult. I've been fighting them since the Kisaki was born, and I've only been able to reclaim a portion of the power that had been taken during the absence of a Hokage."

"Bastards," Anko cursed, spitting out the insult. "I guarantee you that they would rather hide behind others than sacrifice themselves for the village; like a _real_ leader would during a time of crisis."

"Politics should never have gotten this out of hand," Kakashi added. "As respectable as Lord Second was, he made a rather grave mistake in giving power to civilians. It should've been left to the Clan Heads who help protect the village."

"What's in the past is done," the Hokage declared, ending the commentary. "For now, inform your squads and prepare them for the Exams. Anko, go see Ibiki and Hayate. They'll Proctor the First and Third Exams respectively."

The three nodded and left the man's office.

* * *

Sitting back-to-back, the Uzumaki Twins were in deep meditation; to the outside viewer, at least.

In reality, they had both manifested their consciousnesses inside of the seal holding back the Kyuubi. Together, they stood before the massive fox and stared him down.

"Fox…" Kisaki said simply.

"Kyuubi-san," Kikyo followed respectfully.

 _ **"** **What is the reason you both have come to bother me?"**_ he replied in annoyance.

"Well, Fuzzy…" Kisaki began to growl out.

"Nee-chan, not now," Kikyo cut off, surprisingly stern. Kisaki huffed and crossed her arms, looking to the side stubbornly. Kikyo turned back to the Bijuu and answered, "We were hoping for some input or advice regarding our training; like you gave us a few years ago after Itachi-kun left."

 _ **"** **Ah, that… It looks like you two actually listened to me. That's a first."**_

"Do Jinchūriki normally ignore their Bijuu?"

 _ **"** **Most do, while some strive for a 'partnership' of sorts. What we have is akin to the latter choice; but not in the same manner. Instead of giving you my chakra, I give you advice or instructions to follow."**_

"And in exchange, you keep us healthier than our Uzumaki blood normally would," Kisaki clarified, repeating the deal the three of them had made years ago. "Well, we're redoing the deal; but with some additions."

Kikyo continued, "We'd like further advice and instruction, but we'd also like to start getting a better feel for your chakra. There will come a day when we need it."

 _ **"** **And what will you give me in return? I know that my freedom is out of the question; so, I expect something of worth in exchange for my knowledge and power."**_

"Nee-chan and I were thinking it over, and we figured we could give you a way to stretch your legs outside of the seal a few times a week."

"Kinda like how imouto or I overtake a Shadow Clone when the other is controlling the body," Kisaki elaborated.

 _ **"** **Hmm… I'd be stuck using a child's body during my 'outdoor activities', wouldn't I?"**_

"If you'd like, we could make a clone in the shape of a fox?" Kikyo offered.

 _ **"** **It's an improvement to having to use a copy of your body,"**_ the fox mused in agreement. _**"Very well. I expect to be given a temporary body at least four times a week, or for when there is a difficult battle for you. It's been awhile since I've been able to rip someone apart."**_

Kikyo cringed at the notion while Kisaki gave an amused chuckle. "So, we have a deal then, Kyuubi-san?"

The Bijuu nodded and stretched one of his forelimbs outward between the bars, extending a fist to the Twins. _**"Bump my fist and the deal will be made."**_

The two sisters looked to one another and shared a nod before they raised their fists and pressed them against the massive one of the chakra beast. As soon as they made contact, they felt a rush of chakra enter their bodies before their consciousnesses were forced out of the seal.

"Ugh… These headaches are the worst," Kisaki groused.

"At least Kyuubi-san was willing to compromise. Now, since you prefer a hands-on approach to combat, I think you should be the one to train in his chakra."

"That sounds like a plan. But what about you?"

 _ **"** **Your sentimental self will learn something your mother was famous for,"**_ Kyuubi cut in.

"Our mother?" both Twins asked in surprise.

 _ **"** **Kushina Uzumaki; my previous container. She was known for her kindness, temper, sealing prowess, and unique chakra. That unique chakra was something that female Uzumaki were known for, and it allowed them to manifest chains made of solid chakra that could be strong enough to restrain Bijuu."**_

"It worked on you on the night we were born, didn't it?" Kisaki deduced.

 _ **"** ** _Y_ es. Since the sentimental half is already studying seals, she should be the one to learn this. With enough practice, the chains could create barriers that could rival seals of a similar nature."**_

Kikyo nodded, smiling excitedly. "Alright! I'll get to work on learning the Chakra Chains while nee-chan works on using your chakra."

"Anything else, fox? Maybe some more info on our mother?" Kisaki pressed, still angry that no one had told them about this Kushina woman. _Someone_ had to have known she was their mother!

 _ **"** **That woman who uses a sword has been around your mother before. I recognize her scent and chakra. My guess, considering her age, is that she was a student of hers."**_

"Yugao-sensei?" Kikyo asked in surprise.

"And she never told us…" Kisaki growled out.

"W-Wait! Yugao-nee must have had a reason! Don't do anything rash, nee-chan, please!"

Kisaki kept growling before she forced herself to calm down. Her body was still tense, but she wasn't about to go busting down any walls to find the woman. "She'd better have a _damn good_ reason; or else."

"Nee-chan…" Kikyo chided nervously. "Please…"

"Hey! She kept our mother's identity from us! I refuse to take that shit lying down or without a fight!"

"But what if that fight keeps us from searching for Itachi-kun?! Do you really think we'll be allowed to become Hunter Ninja if we're locked up for assaulting a fellow ninja?"

Kisaki clenched her fists before taking a deep breath. "…Fine, dammit; but I'm listening to you under protest."

"Trust me, nee-chan; I'd like nothing more than to cut you loose to get answers. But we need to handle this carefully."

"Yeah, I know," she grumbled.

 _ **"** ** _I_ f you both are done planning potential interrogation and torture,"**_ the Kyuubi spoke up in amusement, _**"perhaps you'd like me to get you both started on your newest subjects?"**_

"Right," both Twins agreed, putting plans for talking to Yugao aside in favor of their training.

They would get their answers afterwards.

* * *

Hours of training later, and Kikyo was on her way to the Ichiraku Stand for dinner. "I've never had this much difficulty with anything before," she said aloud with a sigh.

" _You think YOU got it hard?! It's a damn bitch and a half trying to get a hang of Kyuubi's chakra!"_

 _ **"** **Quit your bitching…"**_

 _"FUCK YOU!"_

 _'Nee-chan, calm down!'_ Kikyo begged. _'He's just trying to rile you up!'_

 _ **"** **Trying? I'd say I succeeded,"**_ the fox fired back with a smirk.

 _'Kyuubi-san… Please, don't get nee-chan emotional. It's not helping anything…'_

 _ **"** **Hmph…"**_

 _"Damned fox…"_

 _'Nee-chan,'_ Kikyo warned sternly.

" _Fine, I'll settle down,"_ Kisaki replied, huffing in annoyance.

Kikyo sighed in exhaustion after hearing that, now drained both physically and mentally. When she finally reached the Ichiraku stand, she was greeted by Teuchi, who gave her his signature warm smile.

"Was wondering when I'd see you or your sister again, Kikyo-chan."

The redhead smiled back as she took a seat. "Sorry that we haven't come in a while. We were away on a mission to the Land of Snow."

"How'd it go?" Ayame, Teuchi's daughter, asked as she came in from the kitchen.

"It went well, for the most part. Our client died, but he hired us to protect the princess of the country. So, I guess it evened itself out…"

Teuchi hummed thoughtfully. "Seems like it does… Still, a shame that the man who hired you died."

"Was he nice to be around?" Ayame cut in.

Kikyo nodded with a small smile. "He was a good man, and he died in the name of Koyuki-hime and her late father. He was a samurai in service to their family."

"Ah, they're an honorable bunch," Teuchi commented. "You have to respect their dedication and their willingness to die for their honor."

"Ninja aren't like that at all," Kikyo replied softly. "They always look for a way to gain advantages; no matter the consequences. I'd say that I respect samurai more than ninja. At least a samurai will fight you upfront instead of try to stab you in the back."

"Hey," Ayame spoke up, her expression stern, "no talking about things like that here. This is supposed to be a place where you can talk with us about lighter subjects."

"I know. But nee-chan and I can always count on you two to lend an ear to us."

"You better believe it!" the aspiring chef agreed proudly, laughing with her father and the Uzumaki teen afterwards. "So, any lighter subjects on your mind lately?"

"Well…" Kikyo began, a faint blush appearing on her face. "I…I got kissed by Koyuki-hime…"

"Oh, really? And…?" Ayame pressed teasingly.

"I-It was just her way of thanking us for keeping her safe!" the young Uzumaki frantically tried to explain, her cheeks aflame. "T-There wasn't anything special about it!"

 _"Nice job. Now, try saying that again with a straight face…"_

 _'Not you too, nee-chan!'_

 _"She DID say that she would like an_ escort _when she visited the village. What does that tell you?"_

Ayame saw Kikyo's eyes go blank briefly before her cheeks became impossibly red and she fell backwards. Her body jerked back up, and she saw that Kisaki was now in control.

"You just couldn't help going for the knockout, could you?" she joked, making the pink-eyed Uzumaki smirk.

"She left herself wide open. Anyway, Koyuki said that she may visit the village in the future, and she wanted us to act as her guides when she came. I think imouto and I left an impression on her."

"Well, I'm happy for you both," Teuchi spoke up, setting a bowl of freshly cooked ramen in front of Kisaki. "I've seen how you both look to others in the village, and I can tell that none of them – male or female – seem to catch your eye. At least this way you have the possibility of finding someone."

"Thanks for the small speech, Pops; but imouto and I still only have eyes for one person."

The man nodded while Ayame bit her lip. "But…are you really going to deny a _chance_ to be happy just to keep running after him?"

"He means everything to us, Ayame. You've known this."

"I understand that, but you and Kikyo are like family to me and tou-chan. We just…want you both to be happy."

"We support your choices," Teuchi tried to clarify, "but we don't want you to toss aside other options. Just because you might find something special in another person doesn't mean you can't keep trying to find Itachi-san."

Kisaki sighed at that, and Kikyo had regained cognition before Ayame asked her earlier question. "I know that; imouto knows that. We can't stop, thought. If… If we falter…"

She was hushed by Ayame reaching over and gently pressing a finger to her lips. With a smile, she said, "We understand. Just think about what we said, is all. Okay?"

Closing her eyes, Kisaki nodded in acquiescence to her request. "We'll…try."

"Good. Now, let's talk about something else. I heard that the village is expecting quite a few visiting foreigners soon."

"Ah, that must be the Chunin Exams. I've seen the Leaf host a couple, and it always get busy," Teuchi noted. "That means more business!"

Ayame and Kisaki chuckled at his enthusiasm for future customers. "Chunin Exams, eh?"

 _'That's only the next step on the way to becoming a Hunter Ninja,'_ Kikyo mused in an almost wistful tone.

 _"And that means…"_ Kisaki began with a straight face.

 _"One step closer to Itachi-kun,"_ they both spoke in their mind, their eyes firm in determination.

* * *

 **1~ That bear is ACTUALLY going to be important later. Care to guess why?** _ ***challenging grin***_

 **And that's the end of this chapter. Short, I know; but this was mainly meant to introduce the Chunin Exams. Plus, I haven't updated this in a while, and I wanted to post something so I don't lose my muse for this story.**

 **So far, the women in the Yuri Harem are Izumi (fem Itachi) Uchiha, and Koyuki Kazehana. I have two more in mind, and I'll give you guys hints for them both.**

 _ **Girl #1: She participated in the Leaf Village Chunin Exams**_

 _ **Girl #2: She's rarely used, and is a level-headed beauty**_

 **If anyone guesses them BOTH right on their FIRST TRY, then I will let them choose a FIFTH girl! Good luck guessing!**

 _ ***laughs evilly***_

 **Until next time!**

 _ **~pain17ification~**_


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